Learning To Let Go
by Renigee
Summary: Discontinued (yep it's basically because I couldn't move the plot forward, have a half-written second chapter)
1. chapter 1

**June 10th, 2013**.

 **Third day of summer vacation**.

 **Chapter 1. Also known as the "Pacifica contemplates life while getting ready in the morning" chapter.**

 _Ring-a-ding-a-ling-a-ring-a-ding._

The bell seemed to taunt her as her father waved it wildly, the once silent air choked by the cacophony.

"Father, I just wanted to choose my own outfit for once! I was feeling more silky gold than the glittering indigo you picked out for me," Pacifica implored. "All I want is a little freedom! I'll do anything for it, please?"

 _Ring-a-ding-a-ling-a-ring-a-ding._

"Pacifica!" Preston Northwest shouted, as if the name of his daughter were a profanity. "You are to do as your mother and I say. It is for the good of our family's reputation, which, effectively, means you."

"But-"

"No buts. Now put on the indigo dress before I give you a real reason to complain."

Preston glanced over at his daughter for a couple seconds, watching her undo her shiny, slimming golden dress with a shameful expression on her face. As soon as he confirmed that Pacifica was, in fact, getting changed, he turned and walked away. The _clack_ -ing sounds of his footsteps echoed in the cavernous halls until they gradually grew silent.

Pacifica reached to her back, fiddling with the clasp on her strapless golden dress, which came with black gloves and a sophisticated black choker with a golden gemstone on it. After a few seconds of moving it around, the clasp finally undid, leaving her to simply slip out of the expensive formalwear. She took the smooth dress and put it back into its container with a ginger pat.

The blonde teen, now mostly undressed, sat down with a sigh on her dark purple plush loveseat.

 _When will I ever learn to think for myself? I need to break this-_

She reflected on what the young detective and sweaty thirteen-year-old, Dipper, had said last summer when her parents' old mansion had been haunted.

 _"You're just another link in the world's worst chain."_

She sighed.

 _I need to break_ _the world's worst chain. Eventually. But for now, I just need to avoid another beating._

Pacifica glumly picked up the dress her mother had chosen for her.

It was a medium indigo color, with small glittery silver stars and a no-show neckline, although sleeveless. It fell to the knees and pleated at the bottom. It was paired with a peach clam shell necklace. Pacifica had to admit, the dress was stunning, and went well with the accessory but she had desperately desired to wear her pick, the golden one.

She hastily zipped it on, just to please her parents enough to keep safe.

 _How will I break the chain? I could talk to Dipper, he should arrive for the summer soon, but how will I convince my parents to let me go out around the commoners? Does he even consider me a friend anyway?_

Turning the crystal handle to her personal powder room, she wondered.

 _If so, wouldn't that make Dipper my first genuine friend?_

Pacifica pondered on that thought while she selected her ocean colored makeup kit from the neatly organized rows her mother had helped her with.

She opened the rectangular dark gray box. Picking up both the cherry red and teal lipsticks, she debated which to apply.

Sampling a bit of the teal color on her lips, naturally soft but dry from frequent makeup application, she took a look at how it matched.

 _I think I'd better use the cherry red instead,_ she thought, grimacing at the poor match. Using unorthodox lip colors was always risky. Something classic would work much better.

As the dyed blonde finished her makeup, complete with a rosy blush that was sure to capture hearts, she stepped out of the washroom to put in the final touches. Her hair had just been combed, twice, so now all she needed to do was find a suitable perfume.

She opened the top compartment of her cabinet. The door creaked open easily, revealing bottles of fragrance across the entire color spectrum- and then some.

Quickly skimming through about one hundred different scents, she found the perfect one- _Tropical Fantasy_ by Miguel Vang.

 _This guy knows what's up in the fragrance world._ _Some scents by other people just smell horrendous._

As Pacifica spritzed on the perfume that she decided was one of her favorites- Miguel Vang could do no wrong- her mind drifted to Dipper again.

 _Tropics. Palm trees. Trees... Pine trees. The Pines family. Dipper._

She barely gave a thought as to why she was suddenly thinking about the brunette out-of-towner.

Pacifica hesitated, then slowly rotated the handle. "I'm ready~!" she sang, in the sweetest voice she could muster.

 _Clack. Clack. Clack._ Her father's harsh footsteps reverberated through the hallways, growing louder every second.

"You took too long, Pacifica. And goodness, what is that perfume? The scent is horrendous," Preston, Pacifica's father, spat with scorn. "Let me get you fixed up."

He took a white silken handkerchief from his suit pocket and wiped down his visibly annoyed daughter, effectively removing the tropical fruit scented perfume.

Pacifica was angry.

"I'll have you know, _Father,_ that I picked up the best scent to go with the theme of the outfit! And I happen to think that any fragrance by Miguel Vang is stupendous," the blonde teen snarled. She blinked her eyes to avoid her welling tears ruining her makeup.

Louder than ever, the bell practically deafened her now.

 _Ring-a-ling-a-ding-a-ring-a-ling,_ it screamed.

"You are not to disobey me! You are below me! You are only a child, while I am an adult. I'm your father, and I know what's best for you!" Preston hollered, his face crimson with fury. He snatched her by the shoulders, clean, neat, hard fingernails digging into her fragile, soft skin, shaking her around as if he were a dog and she were the chew toy. He punched her lightly in the rib, just gentle enough not to create a bruise. "Know your place," he growled. "Or face the consequences. I will not just watch blankly and let you ruin our family name."

Pacifica waited, body still, mind shocked. _Do I really want to make my life hell just to bring honor to the name I won't even have for very long?_ she wondered.

"Yes, father."

She turned back and grasped the pink bottle of the disgusting perfume chosen by her dad.

 **Expect updates about twice a week.**


	2. Half written chapter

**I'm probably going to rewrite the entire first chapter. Now that I look back, there is so much that I need to change, it's crazy.**

 **(Remind me never to write on mobile again. Some of it just disappeared, so a lot of this is rewritten.)**

Pacifica smiled. After almost an hour of arguing, she had finally convinced her uptight parents to let her spend some tine outside, alone.

 _"It's good for my complexion, and the sunlight helps the blonde dye stay in!"_ she had argued. She wasn't sure either of those were true, but it seemed to shut the older Northwests up.

One of the house staff approached. "May I escort you out, Ms. Pacifica?" he asked. The question was entirely a formality, but Pacifica appreciated it.

She was glad she got to wear something more casual today. Leggings and a pink tunic were much easier to frolic around in than a tight, itchy dress. Granted, they were still expensive and designer, and she still wasn't allowed to get them dirty, but it still felt liberating.

It was a bonus that an outside eye would have trouble discerning them from a cheap outfit at Walmart. The "commoner" lifestyle had always intrigued Pacifica, and as much as she had to act hostile to them, a part inside of her wished she were middle class like them.

The sunlight streamed from under the birch tree the Northwests had recently had planted outside of their new house, in a rare act of environmentalism. It bathed Pacifica in a golden glow, her skin looking as if it was made for the sun. Her dark blue eyes gleamed in glee.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a large-framed fat man, with a dark red fez on his head. _What is Soos doing here?_

"Hey dude!" Soos said, in his usual friendly voice. "You got an invite! Dipper and Mabel want you to go to their welcome-back party. It's tomorrow!" He presented a colorful flyer- must have been designed by Mabel- rolled up and fastened by a thin red hair band. _Probably one of Melody's._ "Whaddya say, dawg? They only invited friends, so you must be pretty special." He had an ever-so-slight grin on his face.

Pacifica stared. _Am I really- I thought they hated me! Then again, there's when the old mansion was haunted, and when we all saved the world from that freaky triangle-_ She suppressed a shiver. Math tutoring had never been the same after Weirdmageddon. "Ugh, tomorrow? I'll barely have time to prepare." She faked a contempt scowl. "Fine. I'll talk it over with my chauffeur." Despite her attempt to sound prissy, an excited glint appeared in her eyes.


End file.
